Apparatus and method of removing foreing matter from textile fibers



1967 J. R. WHITEHURST 53,226

APPARATUS AND METHOD OF REMOVING FQREIGN MATTER FROM TEXTILE FIBERS Filed June '7, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet .1

YNVENTOR. JOE 12. WHH'EHURST J%,M w/mL AT TOIZNEYS J. R. WHITEHURST APPARATUS AND METHOD OF REMOVING FOREIGN Nov. 21, 1967 MATTER FROM TEXTILE FIBERS F 2 Sheets-$heet Filed June '7, 1965 JOE E.WH\TEHLH2ST ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,353,226 APPARATUS AND METHOD OF REMOVING FOREIGN MATTER FROM TEXTILE FIBERS Joe R. Whitehurst, Bessemer City, N.C., assiguor to Ideal Industries, Inc., Bessemer City, N.C., a corporation of North Carolina Filed June 7, 1965, Ser. No. 461,980 6 Claims. (Cl. 19200) ABSTRACT 0F THE DISCLOSURE Method and apparatus for cleaning textile material such as slivers while guidingly directing the same into and through a drafting system, and for further cleaning of the textile material emerging from the drafting system.

This is a continuation-in-part of my application Ser. No. 407,321, filed Oct. 29, 1964. v

The apparatus and method of this invention is par ticularly adapted for cleaning textile fibers by removing undesirable foreign matter therefrom during the course of the several conventional processes to which the fibers are subjected before they are formed into yarns.

In the usual processing of textile fibers, such as cotton, to form threads or yarns therefrom, a large portion of the undesirable foreign matter is removed from the cotton fibers in the conventional opening, picking and carding processes. There have been several recent attempts to increase the amount of foreign matter or trash that is removed in these processes. For example, crushing rolls have been added to the card to reduce the size of the trash particles so that they may more easily fall out. However, some of the foreign matter remains embedded in the mass of fibers, usually in the formof small particles that are commonly referred to as pepper trash. A large portion of this pepper trash remains embedded in the fibers during the subsequent drawing, combing, roving and spinning operations, so that the spun yarn contains this undesirable trash.

With the foregoing in mind, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method of cleaning textile fibers by removing substantial amounts of the undesirable trash therefrom during one or more of the processing steps and prior to the time that the fibers are twisted together to form yarns or threads.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method of cleaning textile fibers, usually in the form of a sliver or web, wherein a force is applied to the sliver or web as it is being directed into and/or out of a drafting zone of a textile machine therefrom.

It is a specific object of the present invention to provide textile material cleaning means in the form of rotating irregularly shaped elements that are positioned to engage the moving slivers or webs to agitate the same and shake trash therefrom.

It is a more specific object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method of the type described which is preferably adapted for successively agitating textile slivers as they are withdrawn from supply sources and fed to the drafting zone of a draw frame, for example, and for also agitating the drafted textile material as it leaves the drafting zone.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a draw frame and showing the forward portion of the sliver supply creel, with the to remove trash present sliver and web agitating means applied thereto;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-2 in FIGURE 1 and illustrating the manner in which the two of the agitating members are rotated in timed relationship to the drafting rolls;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 in FIGURE 1 and illustrating the positioning of the agitating members relative to the other parts of the draw frame and creel; and

FIGURE 4 is a somewhat schematic view similar to the central portion of FIGURE 3 and illustrating the manner in which the sliver and web is agitated by the rotating members to shake out some of the pepper trash therefrom.

In the present application, the cleaning means is shown in the form of agitating means associated with a drawing frame. However, it is to be understood that the cleaning means may also take other forms and may be used in association with other types of textile processing machines where it is beneficial to apply a force to the textile ma terial to remove trash or other foreign matter therefrom. As shown in FIGURE 1, the drawing frame includes two identical and conventional sections of drafting instrumentalities in the form of drafting rolls.

Each set of drafting instrumentalities includes a set of upper draftingrolls, indicated at 12 in FIGURES 1 and 3, and a set of lower drafting rolls 13 (FIGURES 3 and 4).

The upper and lower drafting rolls 12, 13 define sideby-side drafting zones which extend from the rearmost set of rolls to the front drafting rolls and include the intermediate rolls. As is well known, the upper and lower sets of drafting rolls are driven at progressively increasing speeds for attenuating and drafting the fibers of the two groups of slivers as they are passed therebetween.

In the present instance, the drafting rolls 12, 13 are illustrated as being fluted rolls, however, it is to be understood that other suitable types of drafting rolls may also be used. After the slivers pass through the drafting zone and between the drafting rolls 12, 13, they pass out from between the front drafting rolls in the form of a thin web, as indicated at W in FIGURES 3 and 4. The web W is condensed into a sliver as it passes into a guide tube 14, from which it passes into the conventional trumpet 15 (FIGURE 3), calender rolls 16, and a tube gear 17 to be deposited in the coiler can 17a.

The-drive mechanism of the drawing frame includes an electric drive motor 18 (FIGURE 1) which is connected to one side of an electromagnetic clutch 19. The

other side of the electromagnetic clutch 19 is connected to adrive pulley 20 that is engaged by a drive belt 21. A drive pulley 22 is engaged by the belt 21 and is suitably connected to conventional drive gears in a housing 23. The drive gears in the housing 23 impart rotation to the drafting rolls 12, 13 and to a set of drive gears in a drive housing 25 (FIGURE 1) so that the successive sets of drafting rolls are rotated in the proper timed relationship when the electromagnetic clutch 19 is energized.

The drive gears in the gear housing 23 also impart rotation to the coiler cans, tube gear and calender rolls in a well-known manner. The sets of drafting rolls 12, 13

are supported on spaced bearing stands 27 which are in turn fixed on a cross beam 28 (FIGURE 3). An apron 30 extends beneath the cross beam 28 and rearwardly from beneath the sets of drafting rolls 12, 13 to form a support for the front end of the creel. The front end of the main drive housing 32 of the creel is supported on and extends rearwardly from the apron 30. The creel main drive housing 32 extends for a considerable distance behind the drawing frame and is supported at spaced positions therealong by suitable support standards, not shown.

A series of transversely disposed and spaced apart rotating strand lifter rolls, each broadly designated at 35, extends rearwardly along opposite sides of the main drive housing 32. Only two of the strand lifter rolls 35 are shown in FIGURE 1, however, it is to be understood that the creel usually includes about eight strand lifter rolls at each side of the housing 32. The lifter rolls 35 are usually positioned above corresponding supply cans C from which successive slivers, indicated at 8-1 through S8 are withdrawn. A sliver is picked up from each of the supply cans C by one of the corresponding lifter rolls thereabove and is then guided forwardly to pass over successive lifter rolls before it passes into the corresponding drafting zone of the drawing frame.

A main drive shaft 40 is suitably supported for rotation in spaced apart bearing members 41 within the main drive housing 32 (FIGURE 3). The main drive shaft 40 extends throughout the length of the main drive housing 32 and the forward end has a drive sprocket 42 fixed thereon (FIGURE 3). A chain 43 engages the sprocket 42 and a sprocket 44 that is fixed on the shaft of a right-angle gear unit 45. The right-angle gear unit 45 is suitably supported on the apron 30 and has one end of a drive shaft 47 suitably connected thereto. The other end of the drive shaft 47 has a sprocket 48 connected thereto (FIGURE 1). A drive chain 49 imparts driving rotation to the sprocket 48 from the gears in the gear housing 25 so that the lifter rolls 35 are rotated in timed relationship with the drafting rolls when the drawing frame is operated. It is preferred that the rotational speed of the lifter rolls 35 be greater than the speed of travel of the slivers Sl through S8 as they are withdrawn from the supply cans C and fed to the drafting rolls 12, 13, for purposes to be presently described.

Each of the lifter rolls 35 is provided with a horizontal lifter roll drive shaft 50 which extends through the main drive housing 32 and has suitable helical drive gears 52 (FIGURE 1) that mesh with and drivingly connect the shaft 50 to the main drive shaft 40. Each of the lifter rolls 35 is identical, however, the lifter rolls (extending rearwardly from the drawing frame) are successively shortened to provide guide passageways for the introduction of each of the strands Sl through S8.

As best shown in FIGURE 3, the lifter rolls each include a series of strand separator collars 58 and a series of lifter roll barrel sections or segments 59 which are suitably supported on the lifter roll drive shaft 50 for rotation therewith. The spaced separator collars 58 and the barrel segments 59 define sliver guide passageways through which the slivers are guided upwardly from the corresponding supply cans C and then forwardly into the corresponding drafting zones of the drawing frame in side-by-side, spaced apart relationship along a substantially horizontal path.

As best shown in FIGURE 4, the outer periphery of the barrel sections 59 are irregular and in the present instance, they are hexagonal to provide high and low portions which successively engage the slivers as they pass thereover.

The successive lifter rolls thus act as successive agitating members and as the high and low portions of the barrel segments 59 successively engage the slivers, they agitate, shake or impart lateral movement to the forwardly moving strands. It is preferred that the corners of the barrel segments 59 be rounded to reduce the coefficient of friction to the point that there is slippage against the slivers. Since the lifter rolls rotate in the same direction as the slivers S are moving, they aid in drawing the slivers from the cans C and also aid in moving the strands forwardly. The agitating action imparted to the strands by the rotating barrel segments 59 of the lifter rolls 35 is sufficient to agitate them to the desired degree that at least some of the pepper trash in the slivers is shaken loose and falls to. the floor as the slivers move forwardly of the creel and toward the drafting zone of the drawing frame.

As a further aid in removing trash from the slivers and web, additional sliver agitating means is provided to agitate the slivers just prior to their entry into the drafting zone and to agitate the web as it leaves the drafting zone. As best shown in FIGURE 4, these agitating members are in the form of rotating paddle plates 60 and 70, opposite sides of which are rounded.

The paddle plate 60 is fixed on a rotating shaft 61 (FIGURE 1) which is supported for rotation in suitable bearings in the spaced apart bearing strands 27. The shaft 61 extends across and behind both sets of drafting rolls 12, 13 and has another paddle plate 60 thereon. One end of the drive shaft 61 has a pulley 62 (FIGURE 2) fixed thereon and the pulley 62 is drivingly engaged by a drive belt 63. The drive belt 63 engages a drive pulley 64 which is fixed on the drive shaft of the rear lower drafting roll 13 so that the peripheral surface of the paddle plate 60 is rotated as the slivers S are drawn into the drafting zone by the rearmost drafting rolls 12, 13.

The paddle plate 70 is fixed on a drive shaft 71 which is supported for rotation in suitable bearings and extends across and in front of both sets of drafting rolls 12, 13 (FIGURE 1). A second paddle plate 79' is fixed on the shaft 71 and one end of the drive shaft 71 has a drive pulley 72 fixed thereto. A crossed drive belt 73 drivingly connects the pulley 72 to a drive pulley 74 which is fixed on the shaft of the lower front drafting roll so that rotation is imparted to the paddle plate '70 with rotation of the drafting rolls.

Since the paddle plate 60 is driven through means of the lower rear drafting roll 13 and the paddle plate '70 is driven by means of the lower front drafting roll 13, these paddle plates 60, 70 are driven in timed relation- ShIP to the respective rear and front drafting rolls. It is preferred that the peripheral speed of the paddle plates 60, 70 be the same as the speed that the slivers move into the rear drafting rolls and the web W leaves the drafting rolls. It will be noted in FIGURE 4 that the paddle plate 60 is positioned to engage the slivers S from below while the paddle plate 70 is positioned to engage the web W from above, however, it is to be understood that both of the paddle plates could be positioned above or below the textile material, if desired.

As illustrated in FIGURE 4, when paddle plate 60 is n the solid line horizontal position, the slivers S are moving forwardly at substantially a horizontal level into the drafting zone and then when the paddle plate 60 rotates to the dotted line vertical position, the slivers S are ralsed to the dotted line position. Thus, the slivers are rapidly moved vertically with clockwise rotation of the paddle plate 60 so that they are agitated and shaken with sufficient force that at least some of the pepper trash in these slivers is shaken loose and removed therefrom.

As the paddle plate 70 rotates in a counterclockwise direct on in FIGURE 4, the web W will rapidly move between the dotted line and solid line positions so that it is agitated and shaken with suflicient force that more of the pepper trash is shaken loose and removed therefrom. As tliettrasgzl is7shaken loose from the slivers by the paddle p a es 0, it falls down, as illustrate URE 4. d at t in FIG Tracing the path of travel of a single sliver of cotton fibers, such as the sliver S8 in FIGURE 1, through its path of travel from its supply source until it is fed into the coiler can 18, it will be noted that the sliver is successively agitated a number of times along the way. The sliver S8 is initially lifted in a vertical direction from the supply can by the initial agitating lifter roll, not shown. Since the irregular surface of the first lifter roll slippingly engages the sliver, it will be agitated as it is raised to shake loose some trash and also aid in withdrawing the sliver from the supply can.

As the sliver S-8 moves forwardly toward the drafting zone, it will pass over the irregular (hexagonal) surfaces of seven additional lifter rolls, only two of which are shown in FIGURE 1, and it will be successively agitated by each to remove some of the trash therefrom at each lifter roll. As the sliver S8 moves over the paddle plate 60, it is given an additional agitation just before it moves into the drafting zone. This agitation of the sliver by the paddle plate 60 is preferably somewhat more violent than the ag'itations imparted to it by the lifter rolls. Then, as the sliver moves out of the drafting zone, now in the form of the web W, it is engaged and agitated by the paddle plate 70 to remove more of the pepper trash from the Web before it is condensed in the guide 14 and fed into the coiler can 17a.

While the agitating lifter rolls 35 have hexagonalshaped barrel segments \which impart a relatively light agitation to the slivers and the paddle plates 60, 70 impart a more violent agitation to the sliver and web, it is to be understood that these agitating members could be replaced by other suitable means for agitating the moving fibrous material with sufficient force to remove any undesirable foreign matter therefrom. Any desired irregular peripheral surface may be provided on the rotatable elements (rolls 35 and paddle plates 60, 70) as long as they impart sufiicient agitation to the textile material to remove some of the foreign matter therefrom. Also, it is to be understood that the agitating members may be positioned in other locations along the path of travel of the moving textile material.

From the foregoing it should be apparent that cleaning the textile material being processed materially aids in producing higher quality textile yarns from cotton, for example, and while the illustrative embodiment of the disclosed invention for cleaning the textile material is in the form of agitating apparatus, the invention is not to be limited thereto.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. In a textile machine for processing textile material formed of staple length fibers, such as slivers and webs having undesirable foreign matter therein, said textile machine :having a drafting unit adapted to receive the textile material and produce a web of drafted fibers therefrom, and means for guiding the textile material from a supply source to said drafting unit, the combination therewith of (a) first, second and third rotatable textile material cleaning means for successively agitating the textile material to remove foreign matter therefrom,

(b) said guide means being rotatable and including said first rotatable cleaning means operable on the textile material being guided thereby,

(c) said second rotatable textile material cleaning means being positioned adjacent the entrance to said drafting unit and being operable on the textile material entering the drafting unit, and

(d) said third rotatable textile material cleaning means being positioned adjacent the exit of said drafting unit and being operable on the drafted web emanating from the drafting unit.

2. In a textile machine for processing textile material formed of staple length fibers, such as slivers and Webs having undesirable foreign matter therein, said textile machine having a drafting unit adapted to receive the textile material and produce a web of drafted fibers therefrom, and a creel for guiding the textile material from a supply source to said drafting unit, the combination therewith of (a) a plurality of rotatable elements associated with said creel, said rotatable elements having irregular peripheral surfaces engageable with the textile material,

(b) a rotatable element positioned between said creel and said drafting unit and adjacent the textile material, said rotatable element having an irregular peripheral surface engageable with the textile material,

(c) a second rotatable element positioned adjacent the exit of said drafting unit and adjacent the drafted web and having an irregular peripheral surface engageable with the web of textile material, and

((1) drive means operatively associated vwith said plurality of rotatable elements and with said first and second rotatable elements for imparting rotation thereto in timed relationship to the linear movement of the textile material, said drive means imparting suflicient speed to said rotatable elements that said irregular peripheral surfaces agitate the moving textile material and remove at least some of the foreign matter therefrom.

3. In a draw frame for processing slivers of staple length textile fibers having undesirable foreign matter therein, said draw frame having a drafting unit adapted to receive a pluratily of slivers and produce a web of drafted fibers, the combination therewith of (a) agitating means positioned adjacent the entrance and exit of said drafting unit for imparting successive shaking motions to the slivers and to the web to remove some of the foreign matter therefrom, said agitating means including (1) a first elongate paddle plate extending transversely of the slivers moving into said drafting unit,

(2) a second elongate paddle plate extending transversely of the web moving out of said drafting unit,

(3) the width of each of said paddle plates being greater than their thickness, and

(4) means supporting each of said paddle plates for rotation adjacent the respective slivers and web, and

(b) drive means operatively associated with each of said paddle plates for imparting rotation thereto so that at least the portions defining the width of each of said paddle plates successively engage the respective slivers and web and impart shaking motions thereto.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said first paddle plate is positioned below the slivers, and said second paddle plate is positioned above the web.

5. A method of cleaning textile material formed of staple length fibers, such as slivers and webs, having undesirable foreign matter therein, while the textile material is being processed through a textile machine having a drafting zone adapted to receive the textile material and produce a web of drafted fibers therefrom, said method comprising the steps of (a) g-uidingly moving a plurality of textile slivers along a predetermined path from a supply source and through the drafting zone, while b) removing foreign matter from the textile slivers by agitating the slivers as they are being guided to the drafting zone,

(c) removing additional foreign matter from the slivers by agitating the slivers adjacent their entrance into the drafting zone, and

(d) removing foreign matter remaining in the textile material by agitating the drafted web adjacent its exit from the drafting zone.

-6. A method of cleaning textile material formed of staple length fibers, such as slivers and *webs, having un- 7 desirable foreign matter therein, while the textile material is being processed through a textile machine having a drafting zone adaptedto receive the textile material and produce a web of drafted fibers therefrom, said method comprising the steps of (a) guidingly moving a plurality of slivers along a predetermined path from a supply source and through the drafting unit, while (b) removing foreign matter from the slivers by agitating the slivers adjacent their entrance into the drafting zone, and (c) removing foreign matter remaining in the textile material by agitating the drafted Web adjacent its exit from the drafting zone.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Whitehurst 19260 X Rayfield et a1. 19-125 FOREIGN PATENTS Canada. Canada.

Great Britain. Great Britain. Great Britain. 

1. IN A TEXTILE MACHINE FOR PROCESSING TEXTILE MATERIAL FORMED OF STAPLE LENGTH FIBERS, SUCH AS SLIVERS AND WEBS HAVING UNDESIRABLE FOREIGN MATTER THEREING, SAID TEXTILE MACHINE HAVING A DRAFTING UNIT ADAPTED TO RECEIVE THE TEXTILE MATERIAL AND PRODUCE A WEB OF DRAFTED FIBERS THEREFROM, AND MEANS FOR GUIDING THE TEXTILE MATERIAL FROM A SUPPLY SOURCE TO SAID DRAFTING UNIT, THE COMBINATION THEREWITH OF (A) FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD ROTATABLE TEXTILE MATERIAL CLEANING MEANS FOR SUCCESSIVELY AGITATING THE TEXTILE MATERIAL TO REMOVE FOREIGN MATTER THEREFROM, (B) SAID GUIDE MEANS BEING ROTATABLE AND INCLUDING SAID FIRST ROTATABLE CLEANING MEANS OPERABLE ON THE TEXTILE MATERIAL BEING GUIDED THEREBY, (C) SAID SECOND ROTATABLE TEXTILE MATERIAL CLEANING MEANS BEING POSITIONED ADJACENT THE ENTRANCE TO SAID DRAFTING UNIT AND BEING OPERABLE ON THE TEXTILE MATERIAL ENTERING THE DRAFTING UNIT, AND (D) SAID THIRD ROTATABLE TEXTILE MATERIAL CLEANING MEANS BEING POSITIONED ADJACENT THE EXIT OF SAID DRAFTING UNIT AND BEING OPERABLE ON THE DRAFTED WEB EMANATING FROM THE DRAFTING UNIT. 